Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson saw Torres play for a Venezuelan club team several years ago. Dawson told Torres he had the talent, but needed to develop his game. Last spring, he sent scout Brent Johnson to Venezuela to check out Torres.

That was enough to earn Torres an invitation to join the Rockets' summer league team, where his play in practices was enough to earn a training camp invite. In his final game in Los Angeles before returning to Venezuela and rejoining the national team, Torres had 26 points, including an 18-point third quarter.